Best and Worst recruits during our "pathetic shield years"

[Media Park]

I don't bag interstate players because they're interstate players, I reserve that for South African's playing for England...

I bag Ludeman because he has proven himself to be crap.

I was pleasantly surprised when Ludeman, not Crosthwaite, was our first choice keeper, glad that the young untried got a go. But now Adam, although not having a record that has set the world on fire, should be given the gig. Not because of his keeping, as you said Bulls, his keeping has been fine, but we need the extra batting depth, as we cannot afford a keeper batting at nine. Adam can cover number seven, which should allow Christian to bat at 8.

[Goat Herder]

Christian would bat above Crosthwaite any day of the week & on any surface.

[Bulls forever]

I don't bag interstate players because they're interstate players, I reserve that for South African's playing for England...

I bag Ludeman because he has proven himself to be crap.

I was pleasantly surprised when Ludeman, not Crosthwaite, was our first choice keeper, glad that the young untried got a go. But now Adam, although not having a record that has set the world on fire, should be given the gig. Not because of his keeping, as you said Bulls, his keeping has been fine, but we need the extra batting depth, as we cannot afford a keeper batting at nine. Adam can cover number seven, which should allow Christian to bat at 8.

I agree with Goat Herder re where Christian will bat, all day, every day above any keeper we have. Lets get back to the real issue, where are our batters and their responsibility to score runs, unfortunately none of our top bowlers can bat, hence we seem to be 5 for to all out very quickly.

[Grahaml]

None of the names mentioned we seemed to really go after with massive offers. Some fell into our laps, others were looking for a new home. I doubt we really lost much picking them up and it's not like we had better running around district cricket. If local blokes aren't good enough then gifting games won't help them. If anything it'll make it harder for the guys who are capable. At least now George and Ferguson have a few half decent players around them.

[Coach Bombay]

Players that have left SA and become better players would also be interesting to discuss.

Better:
Cosgrove
Harris
D Marsh

No Difference:
Cleary
Polkinghorne
Duval (returned)
Kelly (returned)

Worse:

[GWW]

Has Cosgrove really been that much better in Tasmania than he was with SA?

[Media Park]

Leading run scorer in SS last year IIRC.

[GWW]

Yeah fair point, I stand corrected there.

He does seem to still get quite a lot of very low scores, in addition to his bigger innings.

[Coach Bombay]

hes still a fat ****. Could of been anything but instead will prob play state cricket and thats it

[The Dark Knight]

Players that have left SA and become better players would also be interesting to discuss.

Better:
Harris

Does anyone think that if he was still playing for SA he would be playing for Australia at the moment? (Based purely on ability.) He has definitely become a better cricketer since moving to and playing for Queensland.

[Media Park]

Little bit easier to take wickets on a green top than King William Road.

[brod]

Has Cosgrove really been that much better in Tasmania than he was with SA?

First Class stats
SA
3544 runs @ 38.9
Tas
881 runs @ 46.4

[brod]

Plenty of 'quality' names on this list, so lets have a look at the stats.
(All stats are FC unless noted)

Alley (4 matches, 9 wickets @ 36.7)
Cassell (7 matches, 130 runs @ 14.4, 17 wickets @ 36.4)
Davison (15 matches, 456 runs @ 19.8, 33 wickets @ 44.6) (although we fared better than the Vics 31 matches, 318 runs @ 8.1, 50 wickets @ 62.
Deitz (66 matches, 3753 runs @ 30.8, 94 dismissals)
Dempsey (3 matches, 38 runs @ 7.6)
Edmunson (7 matches, 17 wickets @ 42.3)
Elliott (20 matches, 859 runs @ 22.6, HS 81) (overall FC 17251 runs @ 47)
Fleming (2 matches, 21 runs @ 7, 3 wickets @ 71)
Flower (7 matches, 342 runs @ 24.4, HS 81) (overall FC 16379 runs @ 54.1)
Hickey (29 matches, 251 runs @ 9.7, 82 wickets @ 42.9)
Higgs (16 matches, 941 runs @ 34.9, 15 wickets @ 46.9)
Khan (4 matches, 356 runs @ 50.9)
Lang (2 matches, 13 runs @ 6.5, 1 wicket @ 105)
Parker (19 matches, 977 runs @ 30.5)
Tubb (3 List A matches, 29 runs @ 9.7, HS 29)
D Waugh (2 List A matches, 30 runs @ 15)
Wise (5 matches, 8 runs @ 2, 11 wickets @ 40.2)

[GWW]

Deitz was no star, but I reckon he did contribute.

[The Dark Knight]

Deitz was no star, but I reckon he did contribute.

Agreed, one of the better performers in that list.

[Gozu]

I never knew Dean Waugh played for SA always thought he just played for Kensington.

[Faramir]

well yeah we had Ryan Harris, and thennnnnnnn.........

Interesting to read on Mark Higgs' Cricinfo page that he replaced Shane Warne in the 'ICC Knockout' squad in 2000, presumably when Warnie broke a finger? in a SS/PC game and missed the Test series against the Windies.

Not only that, just going ever so slightly off topic, Brad Haddin is also a product of the ACT system, news to me.